By John Ikani
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) recently held a two-day workshop with officials of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC). The workshop was termed a productivity audit and formed part of the Commission’s Productivity Measurement and Improvement Scheme (PMIS) for public sector organisations.
Welcoming the delegation to the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Director of Finance and Personnel Management, NCDMB, Mr. Ifeanyi Ukoha, thanked the Commission for selecting the Board for the productivity audit. He remarked that NCDMB had excelled over the years in the delivery of its mandate as enshrined in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.
Mr. Ukoha explained that the vision of the Board’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe is for staff to maintain their streak of excellent performance and for up-skilling their core competencies.
He expressed hope that the workshop would imbue NCDMB’s personnel with new experiences, and improve their productivity.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta, said he was very delighted that the engagement with the NCDMB was taking place because there was so much to draw from the excellent record of the Board, having been ranked top-performing agency back-to-back for three years (2022, 2023, and half year 2024) among all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The NSIWC boss, who spoke virtually, declared that the Commission would be very proud to use the success story of the NCDMB to motivate other MDAs and to make the Board’s standards better appreciated in Abuja and beyond.
While declaring the event open, the NSIWC Chairman noted with pleasure that the Board, in implementing its core mandate, has also undertaken to address some critical issues associated with exploration and production of oil. According to him, “What struck me most was the integration of host communities into the local supply chain of the oil and gas industry.”
Throwing light on the background of the Commission, the team lead, Mr. Babatunde Oresanya, said NSIWC has made major contributions to all adjustments of salaries, allowances and pensions in the Public Service, and also checkmated “unauthorised remuneration in whatever form in the Public Service and thereby saving huge sums of money.”
He disclosed that the Commission has a Strategic Road Map (2021-2025) and is guided by three themes: “Create a dynamic and responsive model for a productivity-based remuneration system,” “Drive advocacy and visibility for the activities of the Commission,” and “Commence oversight and regulation of the pay system.”
Oresanya pointed out that the Commission wants to see “a productive and contented workforce in Nigeria,” emphasising, “We reward productivity, we reward excellence, we reward service.”
To drive productivity, he noted that goal setting was crucially important as it provides direction and destination, a clearer focus on what is important, clarity in decision-making, and gives you a sense of purpose, while keeping you focused on fine-tuning and continuous improvement.
To close the gap between goal setting and goal getting, he said key result areas have to be identified and goals must be made smart, that is, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based. It is equally necessary to determine the additional knowledge required, bearing in mind that “All skills are learnable,” and the people or institutions whose help and cooperation would be needed have to be determined as well, he added.
In the first technical session of Day 1, Mrs. Ngozi Amuche Ozoemena, Deputy Director of NSIWC, said public sector productivity “involves judicious use of the resources of the state to achieve desired results towards satisfaction of the citizens.”
She identified productivity variables as labour, capital and management, which according to her contribute about 10 per cent, 38 per cent and 52 per cent, respectively, of the annual increase in output. Training, career-enhancing opportunities, tools for work, and minimisation of waste, are important to achieve productivity.
Productivity growth, she noted, is “the key driver of sustainable income growth and poverty reduction in any economic system,” pointing out that “Its effects on human welfare are enormous.”
According to her, productivity is linked to innovation, and managers of productive processes have to think outside the box to be able to improve a firm’s performance. Innovation is also essential for competitive advantage.
Mrs. Ozoemena identified causes of low productivity as distractions, as in the uncontrolled use of mobile phones; poor work attitude, and absence of a clearly articulated vision and mission statement. She emphasised the necessity of developing such a statement and displaying same conspicuously for staff to understand and internalise.
On Critical Success Factors, Mr. Sam Eghieye, NSIWC Chief Income Policy Officer, said organisations need to carry out SWOT Analysis, which entails identifying and evaluating an agency’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and be thus guided in management policies and implementation. Also required are regular consultations with stakeholders.
Eghieye equally highlighted the need to have key performance indicators (KPIs), which he defined as “quantifiable metrics used to track and evaluate success of business strategies.” According to him, KPIs are very important because they “help organisations measure progress towards achieving their goals and objectives.
